They barely reached 300.
To be honest, I wanted to draw inspiration from that part of the movie where Harry flies while the dragon chases him, and do something truly epic with it.
But unfortunately, I still don't have internet access and couldn't look up the exact details I wanted to use.
Also, correcting and translating without references becomes a bit of a mess. 😅
So for now, I tried to do the best I could with what I had.
I promise that in the next chapter, I'll try to give it my all"even if it's a bit more improvised! 💪✨
...
The day of the first task of the Triwizard Tournament had arrived.
Inside the champions' tent, Harry and Cedric exchanged nervous glances. Both were breathing a bit heavily, tense, though trying to keep their composure. Near them, Fleur Delacour was pacing back and forth with a serious expression, though her elegant bearing hid the unease she felt inside. Viktor Krum, on the other hand, looked like a marble statue: expressionless face, clenched jaw, muscles tight. His rigid posture was the only thing betraying his nerves.
A beastly roar shook the air, rumbling like distant thunder. The four champions froze. It was a deep, guttural growl"so savage it made their skin crawl. One of the dragons.
Harry swallowed hard.
Outside, the crowd cheered and clapped, energized by Ludo Bagman's theatrical enthusiasm as he narrated the events.
"The arena is ready! The dragons are ready! And so are our champions!" Ludo bellowed, his voice magically amplified across the entire stadium.
Thanks to Einar, the professors had started working together to help their students. Once they discovered the nature of the task, they worked with the champions on strategies, spells, and managing high-risk situations. That extra help had slightly boosted the confidence of the four.
But even with preparation, facing a dragon… was not something to take lightly.
Harry jumped slightly when he heard a familiar voice calling from the other side of the tent.
"Harry? Is that you?" Hermione whispered urgently.
"Yes," Harry answered quickly, moving closer.
"You have to focus," Hermione said, her voice trembling with worry. "Remember what Professor Einar taught you: put your intention into every word. Magic responds to will… and clarity."
"How am I supposed to speak clearly when I learned dragon language two days ago?" Harry muttered back, a nervous smile on his lips.
Hermione frowned, and without thinking twice, stepped into the tent and hugged him tightly.
"Just do your best… and come back alive, okay?"
Right at that moment, a flash went off.
"Perfect! Young lovers!" exclaimed Rita Skeeter, bursting in like a gust of wind with her inseparable cameraman. Her enchanted quill scribbled furiously in the air, recording every word with morbid excitement.
Harry and Hermione jumped apart, glaring at her.
"You again?" Hermione muttered with disdain.
"Even if something tragic happens today… you'll still make the headlines," Rita said, completely unfazed by their disgust.
"You shouldn't be here. This tent is for the champions… and their friends," Krum growled from his corner, eyeing her with irritation.
"Relax, I've got what I came for," she replied with a sly smile, leaving the tent as if nothing had happened. The cameraman snapped one last photo before following her.
A few seconds later, the three school heads and Barty Crouch entered with firm steps.
"Good morning, champions," began Dumbledore, his deep voice calm and serene. "You've waited, you've prepared, and at last the moment has come. A moment only the four of you will truly understand."
His eyes sparkled with a mix of solemnity and pride… until he noticed Hermione's presence.
"Miss Granger, what are you doing here?"
Hermione blushed.
"Sorry, Professor. I just… wanted to wish Harry good luck."
"Thanks," said Harry, just before she rushed out, casting him one last encouraging glance.
"Barty, the bag."
Crouch nodded stiffly.
"Alright, champions. It's time to discover which creature you'll face."
He pulled out a thick cloth bag that squirmed as if something alive were inside.
"Each of you will draw a miniature model of the dragon you'll face. That will be your task."
"Ladies first," he said with a courteous smile.
Fleur stepped forward with some dignity, though her fingers trembled slightly as she reached in. When she pulled her hand out, she was holding a small dragon with deep green scales and speckled wings.
"Common Welsh Green," Barty announced.
Cedric was next. He drew the Swedish Short-Snout, gleaming like polished metal. Krum got the Chinese Fireball, which spat tiny sparks. Finally, Harry reached in… and shivered when his fingers touched something rough and jagged. It was a Hungarian Horntail. The most dangerous one.
"Each of you must retrieve a golden egg protected by your dragon," Crouch explained. "Inside the egg is a clue for the next task. You'll have a few minutes to prepare."
"Alright, Mr. Diggory"" Dumbledore began, but was suddenly interrupted by the boom of a cannon.
"What the"?!" he said with annoyance, turning to see Filch holding the detonator with a dumb grin.
"I guess… there's no time to prepare," he said gravely.
"It's your turn, Mr. Diggory," added Barty, pointing toward the exit.
Cedric took several deep breaths and walked toward the battlefield.
...….
In the stands, the shouting rose like an approaching storm.
Einar was seated alongside the rest of the professors, his expression hardened. His eyes were fixed on the dragons.
It wasn't that he had any affection for those creatures. On the contrary, he had hunted the worst of them across Skyrim for years. But seeing them here, chained, displayed for the entertainment of arrogant wizards… it made his stomach turn.
"What's wrong, Einar?" Hagrid asked, noticing his frown.
"Nothing," he replied in a low, deep voice. "It's just… the more time I spend among the wizards of this place, the easier it is to despise them."
His tone was as calm as the edge of a sword before the cut.
Down below, Cedric stepped onto the field. He walked with steady steps, though tension showed on his face.
The dragon"huge and metallic"growled upon seeing him. Cedric didn't hesitate. He dashed toward a rocky area, sought cover, and began whispering enchantments.
Then he vanished.
Einar tilted his head, intrigued.
"Well done… He hid his scent, his sound… even his intent." A faint smile appeared on his face. "He'd have potential in the Dark Brotherhood."
His eyes followed every invisible movement, as if he could see the very soul of the boy. And he could. Because Einar, the Dragonborn, didn't need his eyes to know where a warrior was lurking.
To the audience, of course, it was all just a magic trick. No one saw what truly happened. To them, Cedric had simply disappeared into thin air.
Only a few noticed the golden glimmer moving swiftly before turning invisible as well, while the dragon""completely unaware of what had just happened""remained calm, noticing nothing.
And then, in an instant, Cedric Diggory reappeared. He was standing right at the entrance, the golden egg firmly held in his hands.
The boy let out a long breath of relief, thankful he had succeeded on his first try.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
"Wow! The dragon didn't even notice!" Hagrid exclaimed, clapping with a huge smile, his eyes shining with pride.
"You taught him that, didn't you, Einar? I've never seen such a flawless invisibility spell," added Professor Flitwick, speaking directly to Einar in awe.
"Thank Merlin… I had my heart in my mouth," commented Professor Sprout, placing a hand on her chest upon seeing Cedric completely unharmed.
The judges raised their scorecards. The results were clear: 10, 10, 10, 10... and a 7.
That last one, obviously, came from Karkaroff, who, though he wanted to give even less, was forced to keep up appearances under the stern gaze of the other judges.
Still, he was booed by all of Hogwarts.
Next up was Fleur Delacour. Though she looked nervous at first, she took a deep breath and walked forward with determination. She raised her wand and began to chant in a melodic, magical tone.
Her voice, ethereal like morning mist, caressed the dragon's ears, which slowly fell into a deep sleep.
Without wasting a second, Fleur ran toward the golden egg. But just as she lifted it, the dragon sighed unconsciously, releasing a tongue of fire that caught her dress and scorched part of her clothes.
Though she remained unharmed, the accident cost her some points.
The scores: 8, 9, 10, 8… and a vile 4 from Karkaroff, once again earning the crowd's scorn.
Then came Viktor Krum's turn. With firm steps, he walked to the entrance. Like Fleur, he cast a spell on the dragon.
However, his was much more aggressive: a blast of magic darkened the dragon's eyes, temporarily blinding it.
Confused and enraged, the dragon began to thrash and breathe fire wildly.
Viktor used the chaos to grab the egg…
But in his haste, several of the real dragon eggs were crushed underfoot.
The dragon, regaining part of its vision, approached the remains with an almost human expression"sorrow, pain, and loss.
In the stands, Einar stood up so violently that part of the railing splintered beneath his hands. His eyes burned with fury.
"They respect nothing!" he growled through clenched teeth.
"Do not worry, Milord. Those were illusions. The real ones are safe," said a familiar voice.
It was Dren, who had anticipated the disaster and protected the dragon's offspring.
Had it not been for his quick action, Einar would've jumped into the arena without a second thought, ready to punish anyone who dared harm a mother dragon and her young.
But his anger didn't fully subside.
How dare they put students' lives at risk and use real eggs just to make the show more "realistic"?
They could have used illusions from the start… but no. Brutality was more "spectacular."
Krum, despite his mistake, only lost a few points. But as expected, Karkaroff gave him a perfect 10.
Finally came the most anticipated turn: Harry Potter.
The boy stepped onto the field visibly nervous. He walked slowly, without a clear plan. He only carried his wand, as if it were a mere formality.
Everyone watched expectantly, surprised by his lack of preparation.
And then, under the astonished gaze of hundreds of spectators, Harry approached the most violent dragon of the challenge.
The creature raised its head swiftly, observing the boy as though he were prey… or a threat.
The tension was suffocating.
And then, Harry spoke:
"Dovazul:… I'm sorry for what they're making you go through. On behalf of the humans, I ask your forgiveness."
The dragon stared at him intently, not attacking.
A heavy silence fell over the stadium.
"What is he saying?" Flitwick whispered.
"He's apologizing to the dragon. For being used by humans as entertainment," Einar replied, without taking his eyes off them.
"What!?" McGonagall exclaimed, incredulous. "Did you teach him that too?"
"Yes," Einar confirmed with a frown. "Though he still lacks… he needs to speak with more firmness, with intent. He's standing before a dragon."
As if hearing his thoughts, Harry seemed to recall Einar's teachings: "Speak with order. Impose your words. You are the one who controls the conversation."
He took a deep breath.
"Dovazul: One of those eggs is false. Give it to me, and I'll leave. I won't harm you," he said again, this time with more authority.
The dragon huffed loudly, seemingly annoyed by the audacity…
But then turned its head, carefully inspecting its nest.
After a few seconds, it pushed one of the eggs with a claw, tossing it toward Harry as if discarding something useless.
The boy caught it midair, nearly falling from the strength of the throw.
With the golden egg in hand, Harry backed away without breaking eye contact with the dragon, then turned and walked toward the exit, under everyone's stunned gaze.
Up high, dark eyes watched in frustration the chain prepared to release the dragon in case of emergency.
Their plan had failed.
Harry positioned himself before the judges.
They, still not quite understanding how he had done it, raised their scorecards: 10, 10, 10, 10… and once again, a pitiful 7 from Karkaroff.
Boos quickly filled the air. Even Einar, from his seat, cast such a threatening glare that Karkaroff quickly looked away, trembling slightly.
And with that, the trials of the first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament came to an end.
But the real battle… was just beginning.